Bathing water quality at Exmouth, Sandy Bay and Budleigh Salterton beaches has been rated ‘excellent’ ahead of the 2018 summer season.

The Environment Agency (EA) this week added nine new beaches to its list of 422 bathing spots designated as official bathing waters along the south coast.

Water samples all taken in the last fortnight show bathing water quality at Exmouth, Budleigh and Sandy Bay beaches to be excellent.

The EA regularly tests bathing waters and official swim spots carry signage and beachgoers are encouraged to search the Environment Agency’s online map to check out their chosen beach water quality.

The nine new beaches to become official bathing waters are: Manor Steps, Bournemouth and in Cornwall: South Fistral beach in Newquay, Booby’s Bay near Trevose Head, Mexico Towan, Upton Towan and Godrevy, all situated on a long stretch of dunes in St Ives Bay, Northcott Mouth beach to the north of Bude, Gwynver Beach which forms part Whitesand Bay and Tregonhawke in Whitesand Bay.

The Environment Agency’s online map can be found at the Bathing Water Data Explorer website http://environment.data.gov.uk/bwq/profiles/